Absolute Newbie Looking For Info...

[totallytech]

Hi Guys,
 
I'm an absolute beginner at setting up an aquarium. I've owned fish before (which I got an existing setup etc) but never set up a new tank before.
I have a small tank (360mm wide x 290mm height x 220mm deep) and so far I bought:
 
Gravel
a 200 L/HR filter suitable for 2ft (24') aquariums comes with Active Carbon, Floss and Sponge.
Interpet AP Mini Aquarium Air Pump with 4' airstone.
FRF-AH25 Water Heater 25 Watts.
2 small fake plants
Also one bog wood thingy... (which is currently making my water disgusting so I think that's gonna be removed!).
 
Using the online volume website it says my tank is 23L (Although I've seen it advertised online as a 10L).
 
What sort of fish / number of fish should I have?
 
I'd love a shrimp, some nice small cute fish etc but just not sure....

 

[Goggy]

First look at this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/  after you do what the link tells you we can talk about adding the fish

 

[Ch4rlie]

 
I have a small tank (360mm wide x 290mm height x 220mm deep) 
 
Using the online volume website it says my tank is 23L (Although I've seen it advertised online as a 10L).

 
36cm x 29cm x 22cm is 23 litres / 6 US gallons.
 
 

Also one bog wood thingy... (which is currently making my water disgusting so I think that's gonna be removed!).

 
Bogwood does leech tannins at first, might be better getting another container and filler that with water and putting the bogwood in there to leech off the tannins over a few weeks.
 
But otherwise you can leave it in the tank, wont do any harm at all and will fade in time. Tannins in fact are beneficial for stocking.
 
And I would recommend you to do a Fishless cycle as the link that Goggy has given as this would save a lot of potential issues.

 

[totallytech]

I'm going to follow that guide before stocking, buy the test kits etc and do it all properly - I guess like most people, I thought you just bought a tank, chucked water in it, plonked fish in and then cleaned/fed - I never realised how much there was to keeping a few fish lol - but I'd rather do it right and have a healthy tank than keep killing off fish!
 
I'd read about the bog wood, we had soaked it first for about 48 hours, then did a wash in boiling water, then cleaned the tank, replaced the filter etc and started again, but placed the bogwood back in... obviously it went yuk again however its cleared and seems to be staying with a yellow tint but nothing too bad.
 
I'm worried I have filled it up with things first and I'll only be able to have 1 fish in it lol... 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'm going to follow that guide before stocking, buy the test kits etc and do it all properly - I guess like most people, I thought you just bought a tank, chucked water in it, plonked fish in and then cleaned/fed - I never realised how much there was to keeping a few fish lol - but I'd rather do it right and have a healthy tank than keep killing off fish!

 
Good

 
And yes, a lot of people do think the same thing, you're not the first, and certainly wont be the last but you already doing good by researching  

 
 

I'm worried I have filled it up with things first and I'll only be able to have 1 fish in it lol... 

 
 
Know what you mean

 
Basically you have a 5 gallon tank, this WILL limit your stocking choices unfortunately as most fish do need swimming space.
 
Most popular choices for a 5 gallon tank is either as a single Betta Splenden tank or as a shrimp tank set up.

 

[Mamashack]

to TFF! You could keep a single male betta in there, tt or some shrimp. There used to be a thread with suggestions for small tanks - has it been removed?

 

[attibones]

to TFF! You could keep a single male betta in there, tt or some shrimp. There used to be a thread with suggestions for small tanks - has it been removed?

 
Yes, it has been removed. I'm hoping one day some one more ambitious than I will bring it back, with a bit more caution towards tank size.
 
For a five gallon, you can do a few different things. Obvious choices are a single betta, shrimp or snail tank, but you could also try a dwarf puffer which are full of personality but you would need to only get one for this size, a small group of endlers (all male) up to five, or an African dwarf frog which isn't a fish but is still neat. Before deciding on fish, check to see what your source water for pH and hardness (hardness ratings you can usually find on your water provider's website.

 

[Ch4rlie]

For a five gallon, you can do a few different things. Obvious choices are a single betta, shrimp or snail tank, but you could also try a dwarf puffer which are full of personality but you would need to only get one for this size, a small group of endlers (all male) up to five, or an African dwarf frog which isn't a fish but is still neat. Before deciding on fish, check to see what your source water for pH and hardness (hardness ratings you can usually find on your water provider's website.
 

 
 
Personally, I have had endlers in a very similar sized tank.
 
They were ok but when I moved them to my 10 gallon tank, huge change in the endler's behaviour, much more swimming about and much more active. In the 5 gal they were not very active but seemed ok, surviving but not thriving, so wont be doing that anymore.
 
All the other choices are fine though, just that despite the endler's small size, imho, I really don't think a 5 gallon is suitable for them.

 

[attibones]

For a five gallon, you can do a few different things. Obvious choices are a single betta, shrimp or snail tank, but you could also try a dwarf puffer which are full of personality but you would need to only get one for this size, a small group of endlers (all male) up to five, or an African dwarf frog which isn't a fish but is still neat. Before deciding on fish, check to see what your source water for pH and hardness (hardness ratings you can usually find on your water provider's website.

 
 
Personally, I have had endlers in a very similar sized tank.
 
They were ok but when I moved them to my 10 gallon tank, huge change in the endler's behaviour, much more swimming about and much more active. In the 5 gal they were not very active but seemed ok, surviving but not thriving, so wont be doing that anymore.
 
All the other choices are fine though, just that despite the endler's small size, imho, I really don't think a 5 gallon is suitable for them.

Thanks for your input. I've personally never kept them, but I have heard of others who kept them in a five. You are probably right that it's too small for a group of them.

 

[Goggy]

 

to TFF! You could keep a single male betta in there, tt or some shrimp. There used to be a thread with suggestions for small tanks - has it been removed?

 
Yes, it has been removed. I'm hoping one day some one more ambitious than I will bring it back, with a bit more caution towards tank size.
 
For a five gallon, you can do a few different things. Obvious choices are a single betta, shrimp or snail tank, but you could also try a dwarf puffer which are full of personality but you would need to only get one for this size, a small group of endlers (all male) up to five, or an African dwarf frog which isn't a fish but is still neat. Before deciding on fish, check to see what your source water for pH and hardness (hardness ratings you can usually find on your water provider's website.
 

MAybe ill try to bring it back! 

 

[totallytech]

Hey Guys,
 
Sorry about the long delay, I ended up changing my tank water etc, gettting rid of the bogwood thingy and waiting. I've run a test today and I'm getting:
 
NO3 - 20-40
NO2 - 0-0.5
PH - 8
KH - 240
GH - 180
 
I would like to have a couple of small fish, maybe a shrimp and a bottom feeder type thingy.
 
I think the Nitrates and Nitrites are fine, the PH should be 7, the KH should be 80-120 and the GH needs to be 30-120
 
So I need to lower the PH, Lower the KH and lower the GH... So I'm gonna buy some API Proper PH7, an API Water Softener Pillow but looking at the info it says that adding the Proper PH7 raises the GH but I need to lower it and it says add deionised water, but is that really the only way?

 

[fluttermoth]

Don't mess around with your pH or hardness; it's not easy, and is not necessary, if you chose the right fish.
 
Endlers are fine in hard alkaline water (and, having kept Endlers in a 6 gallon tank myself, I think you'd be fine with them). Other good choices for you would be celestial pearl danios or dwarf emerald danios. Most shrimps do well in hard water also.
 
I'm afraid there aren't any bottom dwellers suitable for a tank of that size; all the tiny catfish and loaches need to be kept in largish groups.
 
Once you've cycled (and you'll only need to cycle to an ammonia level of 2 or 3ppm, as your stocking will be low, I would look at a stocking along these lines;
 
either a small group (four or five) or all male Endlers, or
 
six or seven of the danios (but you must get the right species; many danios, although small, are far too active for small tanks), or
 
a single male betta (they're very adaptable with regards to hardness and pH), or
 
a single dwarf puffer (but bear in mind they will not take prepared food, like flake; they'll need frozen food and/or pest snails)
 
You can have the shrimps as well, as they don't produce much waste, although not with a dwarf puffer, if you chose that option.

 

[totallytech]

Excellent thank you!
 
I'm going to buy an ammonia test kit shortly, and do that - what do you guys use for testing?
I bought a 5 in one, but doesn't do ammonia! so looking for a test strip kit that does do everything? Or is there something better to test with?
I did see a 6 in 1 test which does it so I guess that'll be the one
 
Can we mix and match the danios, say 4 of dwarf emerald danios and 3 celestial pearl danios plus say 3 shrimp or is that too many?
 
So I don't need to worry about getting the ph to 7? or fiddling with the KH/GH (Carbonate Hardness/General Hardness)? According to the API site I can add PH7 and it will change the water to 7 as they say 8 is too high - continue to monitor and 8.5+ is dangerous...
 
I'm looking at the chart for tropical fish btw...

 

[fluttermoth]

You want liquid or tablet tests; most people use the API ones, but the Nutrafin and Salifert ones are also very good. You can buy a master test kit, which has all the tests you need, online for around £20/£25; it seems a lot, but it's something every fishkeeper should have, and they will do hundreds of tests. The paper strips can be quite inaccurate, and they're liable to spoilage if they get at all damp (even a drop that you don't notice)
 
You can't mix the two kinds of danio; they're very closely related and, as their position in the wild is rather precarious, you don't want to risk them hybridising.
 
No, don't worry about the pH. Although 7 is good for most fish, many, like the danios we've mentioned, but also some cichlids, and most rainbowfish and livebearers, prefer it hard and alkaline, as that's what the water is like in their natural habitat.
 
It's also quite hard to lower pH, as the minerals in the water will bump it back up again quite quickly. A stable pH is far more important, for most fish, than the exact number. Also a lot of softer water fish can adapt to hard water so (if your tank was bigger!) you'd have plenty of options.

 

[totallytech]

I think I'll get a bigger one at some point but thought I'd start smaller
 
My ammonia test (liquid API one) says its between 0.25 and 0.5 - and the leaflet says it needs to be as close to 0 as possible so I'm guessing this is ok?